Whisperings of War
by Frostbite Panda
Summary: PG13 for mild language and violence:This takes place three years after the royal cup. Bit and Leena both have left the Blitz Team. Leena is now an assassin for the Empire, and she must kill the only one who can stop their plans of world denomination: Bit
1. The Monster in the Pit

Whisperings of War  
  
Author's Notes: {**Scratches back of head nervously** Heh, Look guys, I know that this is my third time altering it, but hey! I'm a perfectionist, what do you expect? It's the same plot and everything, I just wanted to edit it (some more), and make it a bit more interesting and not to mention sensible ^_^;; I know, just hang with me here! I have it all down! I have this little schedule/plan thing that I'm going to try my best to follow so I can do this with no problem. I hope. Now, I'm not going to go any further since you guys are already preparing to strangle me rite now.. *Runs away*}  
  
Disclaimer: I like the show, therefore, in order to keep me and other fans entertained while the folks back in Japan make new episodes, we have to indulge ourselves by stealing other peoples' work and using it for our own sick pleasure. Hmmm.. kind of reminds me of my friend.. uh, never mind. Point is don't sue me, I admit, this isn't mine, I'm not THAT smart. Geeze! What do you expect?  
  
Summary: **Bit left the Blitz Team, three years now he's been gone. Working as a traveling mercenary. When a mysterious Zoid appears on the side of the Gygolous Empire his wild ways are thrown, and he suddenly finds himself in a Lieutenants uniform for the Helic Republic. What can he do when an experienced Imeprial Assassin appears and her target is himself? How can he stop this monster of destruction?**  
  
Chapter one: The Monster in the Pit  
  
A gun sniper, colored the deepest shade of black, made its way up a mountain, on to a fateful mission, that would change the Zoid's pilot's life forever.  
  
The pilot was an Imperial assassin. She was a tall, slender, well-formed woman. She had beautiful yet cold, piercing, violet eyes, eyes of a true killer, with hair at waist length of the same color. It used to be short once, but she had let it grown out. She was dressed in a long mauve coat, a black leather shirt clung to her like it was painted on, and gloves the same shade of jet-black reaching to her elbows. She was strikingly beautiful, but she had a look of someone you did not want to mess with, kind of like prodding and teasing a sleeping cat.  
  
Her name was "Dangerous Beauty". Well, her code name was, nobody in the Imperial forces knew what her real name was. Other people knew though. People from her old life, people from her forgotten past, and those people were her old battling team, The Blitz Team.  
  
Three years since leaving that team. It had been too painful for her because one of the team members had left just three months before she stepped out into the world. She also wanted to get out of her father's shadow. She was sixteen at the time, now eighteen, she needed to get out, live her own life, make her own rules, she wanted to get into trouble, to be wild and adventurous, wreck less and carefree, to be free.  
  
Only now, she was a prisoner.  
  
~~~  
  
The landscape rolled onward, to what seemed like the sky. The mountains reached up to touch the heavens like pleading children grabbling at the cookie jar on a high shelf. The mist floated in milky tendrils, swirling and circling in a never-ending dance, as the winds whipped the scrubby plants and rugged trees of the mountains into its command. The overcast hung heavy in the air, as the strong breeze slowly started to die and the crickets stopped chirruping and the birds stopped their singing. A storm was brewing.  
  
In a dark, dank cave, tucked into the rocky crevices that tore from the greenery, another storm was brewing.  
  
In the gloominess there came a faint glow, shouts of aggravated voices, and much more noise that could not be identified. The wide cave-mouth eventually opened up to a vast cavern, filled with floodlights to light up the area, tents and sleeping bags, two Saber Tigers, ten Darkhorns, eight Molgas, and two Redlers. About twenty men and women, garbed in the dark blue tunics of the Imperial Army uniforms, were being assembled by two Lieutenants, their panther insignias embossed on their caps, shining in the brilliance of the harsh florescence of the floodlights. All of the troops were ordered to formal dress, with swift and strict formation. The Empress was coming to wake the beast.  
  
A tall, young, blonde Shouted at the two Redler pilots. "The Royal Empress needs an escort, we tried to explain where this place is to the Royal Guard, but we must be cautious. Now go!"  
  
The Redler pilots saluted, a stout brunette woman, and rather skinny young man. They ran to the massive, pterodactyl like planes while putting their helmets on. They jumped in the familiar cockpits, amidst the milling crowd of troops. They looked down as a couple of ground crewman did preliminary checks and repairs as the engines whirred and buzzed slowly into life. The troops backed off against the wall of the cavern to allow room as one of them waved them clear for take-off. The engines roared as they sped out of the cave in perfect formation. The creatures took air and did a cork-screw, opening their wings wide, and a giving a piercing call as the two pilots did some dives and barrel rolls to warm up, and sped off into the seemingly impenetrable clouds.  
  
Inside the cave the rest of the troops assembled quickly and precisely, their officers giving them a shout of haste or a call to a mistake here and there. After ward, the blonde conversed quietly with the other Lieutenant, a dark haired, squat man, with sharp, dark eyes. "Lieutenant, she was supposed to be here over thirty minuets ago. Do you think anything has happened?"  
  
The older man opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by a horrendous clap of thunder, he flinched, he never did like storms; he had a bad experience once. He continued, "I don't know. With a secluded location such as this, and the storm, a decent conversation with a rock is difficult." The squat man chuckled at his statement. The younger one gave a very forced, weak laugh while looking fiercely at the troops who were trying to snicker as heartily as they could, while he wasn't looking. The old man was known to make bad jokes.  
  
After the chuckles had subsided the old Lieutenant looked at the troops with such scrutiny that they shifted a bit. He nodded his approval and rushed into the Officer's Quarters, which was no more than a mere alcove closed in by stiff canvas, with a scrubbed metal table sitting in the center, and two sleeping bags on either side of the tent. The table was scattered with topographical maps and compasses, a small communicator and receiver, and the remains of a meager lunch, lit with the harsh glow of a methane lantern. The two Lieutenants sat down in bare metal fold-up chairs across from each other.  
  
"There is no need to worry. The Empress' Royal Guard may be thickheaded and conceited, but they are loyal and wouldn't let anything happen to her. Besides if they got lost they could go to the Fornayak Air Force Base. It's only about twenty miles from here. They'll be able to pick them up. Believe me Lieutenant, nothing's going to happen to the Empress while there's a military like ours." The old Lieutenant said wearily with a smile of pride.  
  
The blonde nodded, not knowing what to say, and peered at a map of the mountain where they were located. It was part of a large mountain range on the southern tip of Gygolous. Fornayak, they were called, hence the air base's name. Many bands of rovers and drifters made their home here, and throngs of fugitives and bandits established their hideouts in the many caves and caverns in the mountains.  
  
Some even said there was a whole city of them in the center of some unknown mountain in the wilderness, with highways of granite and houses of stone. The Gygolous Empire allowed these mountains to be widely unexplored and unsettled. There were also "The March Castles" as the military bases for the Republic on the border were called, located nearby since the mountains were near the boundary. This was the entire reason why they were so careful in their ways.  
  
This whole mountain range was what is marked on a map as "disputed land", either though it belonged mostly to the Empire. They had to keep hidden and be extremely careful. They would never be found atop the high mountain, right in the center of the range, where storms always seemed to hang and the terrain rugged and inhospitable.  
  
In the silence, the Lieutenants heard a low droning that was immediately dismissed as thunder. As they listened closer it had a metallic touch to it, it was also long and unchanging, it also became more and more pronounced. The Lieutenants looked at each other from across the table, ripped from their reverie. The younger one grinned, jumped up, and rushed out, eager to meet and please the Empress. The older Lieutenant stood up more calmly and composed and strolled nonchalantly out of the stiff canvas alcove.  
  
The blonde was a rush of words as he ordered rifles at ready and the soldiers standing attention. He was also rapping out commands to the front rank for the unloading and passage of the Empress, and also on how to go about the overseeing and observation of the project. He gave himself a small smile of pride as he galvanized the troops into action.  
  
The older officer stood just outside the tent, hands folded neatly behind his back as he watched. He yelled out to three troops to take their Darkhorns and oversee the safe landing of the escort and ordered two more in their Molgas to act as sentry the whole while the Empress' stay and keep a weathered eye out for danger. He and the blonde then strolled out to the mouth of the cave to see five fuzzy figures in the mixture of overcast, rain, and quickly fading mist.  
  
The procession was supposedly low key, to keep as much attention as possible from the Empress. Usually the Republic would help in the transportation of the Empress and track her wherever she went on the borderlands, but the Empire didn't want them to find out where she was going and grow suspicious. There were the two Redlers they had dispatched and the Royal Redler that carried the Empress and her specified pilot. There was also two Zabats of the Royal Guard. This seemed to perturb the blonde, "Damn! Zabats! They never said Zabats were going to be used! They need special landing equipment!" The young officer ranted.  
  
The older smirked and looked up at him, for the young Lieutenant was extremely tall. "You've been in the air force too long, the Royal Guard has specified landing gear to help with that. That's why they look kind of lopsided. Honestly, Lieutenant, I thought you would have known that."  
  
The blonde looked to the ground embarrassedly. She cuffed the loose gravel of the mouth of the cave with his boot watching the mud splash and fall in ripples in the quickly filing puddles. He looked up as the procession stole closer and closer to their destination.  
  
The wind whipped and roared as the Empress drew nearer. It practically engulfed the whole cave in noise as it echoed and rebounded off the walls. First the Redlers landed, then one Zabat, then the Royal Redler, and then the last Zabat circled around to check for intruders and flew in after.  
  
The Empress was unloaded with extreme care and was guarded all the while by her two guards, her pilot stayed with the Royal Redler to oversee repairs and maintenance. She stood tall and proud, with long blonde hair that reached to her waist, and a dark indigo dress reaching to her dainty feet. Her pale blue eyes and fair skin shining in the harsh glare of the light. She approached the two Lieutenants and allowed them to salute her and address her reluctantly before waving her hand airily and saying, "Please, gentleman, there is no time for formalities. Now, I want to see her."  
  
The Lieutenants gave each other an uneasy look. The Empress looked at them severely. "I can assure you, gentleman, that whatever you are about to show me I can handle quite well. If you wish to keep your positions in this army, that is." She said calmly.  
  
The officers finally gave in and bowed low.  
  
The little procession made it to the end of the enormous cavern, where only a couple of floodlights stood lit, making it dark and gloomy. The Empress showed her distaste by coughing weakly and looking to her Commander of the Royal Guard. "With the technology of this time, you'd think we could get proper lighting." She said.  
  
The older lieutenant took a deep breath and pulled aside a heavy plastic tarp hanging on the wall as if concealing something, a secret that it wanted no other to see. As the tarp gave way, an awful metallic stench filled the area. The Empress was surprised by this, and was almost blown over. She recovered herself and pulled out a dainty silk kerchief, seemingly out of nowhere, and held it up to her nose. The smell was so bad that one couldn't speak, but to find that they tasted the nocuous fumes. The opening had been blown out with dynamite and lasers, behind it lay an enormous cavern. The lieutenants bowed their apologies and stepped into the inferno of warmth and odor.  
  
The Empress came to the edge of a platform with reinforced steel bars and looked down into a deep pit with sides diving strait into the abyss. It truly was a horrifying sight, but what was in it would make any normal human being's blood run cold and their heart stop.  
  
Down in the precipice there was a dark midnight blue cocoon shaped pod with crimson streaks of flame flying across it now and then. The colors seemed like they were flowing over the pod, like swift moving stream water gliding across a round, smooth pebble. Every couple seconds though, the pod would shudder and convulse in a grotesque scene of forced evolution.  
  
The Empress quietly laughed triumphantly to herself and smiled, her pale, cold eyes shining malevolently in the light. She turned on her heel and trotted off, her shoes clicking sharply on the hard ground as her paced quickened to get out of the disturbing display. Her party followed her without question, suddenly timid from what they had just witnessed. The Empress spoke once out of range of the smell and heat and back in the cool dampness of the cave, "Well done gentleman, we shall be sitting on the throne of the universe very soon, and to think she wasn't supposed to wake for at least another million years! Ha! Those crazy scientists working in secret to try and find her before anyone else, good thing I had my secret weapon."  
  
The Empress gave a malicious grin. The very air there hung a curtain of tenseness, and fear. From behind her, seemingly materializing out of the shadows was a tall, slender, well-formed woman with the most extraordinary, piercing eyes.  
  
The guards and officers were startled and recoiled a little. One of them actually reached for his gun, but took his hand away immediately as he saw whom it was. They had heard of this "secret weapon" as the Empress so plainly put it, and they feared her more than the monster in the pit.  
  
When she spoke they cringed as she kneeled to her mistress. "What is your bidding, Your Imperial Highness?" She said slowly, her very voice dripping with the cold spite of an assassin. The Empress smiled and patted her groveling servant on the head like a loving mother rewarding a child for a good deed.  
  
"Yes, 'Dangerous Beauty', Bit Cloud? I'm sure you know him, being an old team mate of yours."  
  
The Empress watched satisfied as the woman teetered on her knee a bit. "Dangerous Beauty" felt an icy cold fist grip her heart for the shortest of moments. She bit her lip until blood rushed and closed her eyes tightly, she was afraid of this, it was the one thing she dreaded most, but knew would come in the end. She had nightmares. It was the last thing she wanted to happen.  
  
The Empress gave another one of her malicious smiles and knelt down next to her drawing a dagger she always carried with her. It was much more lighter than a pistol and more practical. She held it to the woman's neck, she pressed it hard, "Dangerous Beauty's" eyes snapped open at once, and she swallowed. When she did so, the dagger pressed to neck, drew blood. Blood came trickling down her neck from the tiny pinprick. She remained motionless, her breathing normal and controlled, she looked strait ahead with hard, expressionless eyes. The Empress put her mouth to her ear and whispered, ever so quietly, that it seemed like only a breath of warm wind, "Kill him."  
  
Her smile broadened as she stood up and left the stunned girl on the cold, damp cave floor as she walked back to her transport with her guards and officers, just as bewildered as the woman.  
  
"Dangerous Beauty's" eyes darted from side to side as if searching the stone for some solution to her problem. She felt like crying, falling on her knees and breaking down into helpless sobs. She had almost reached her breaking point.  
  
Almost.  
  
Her whole world was caving in on her, it started with her very first step out of the Touros Base, and now it was a total, full-fledged landslide. 'No,' she thought fiercely to herself, 'I am heartless. I am a killer.' She told herself.  
  
And with a cleared mind and set heart she turned back from her past life.  
  
For the last time.  
  
She was now a true, cold-blooded assassin. It happened just that quickly. As she walked to her hidden gun sniper, waiting patiently, like a faithful dog, she had only one thought on her mind: Kill Bit. And no one was going to stop her.  
  
{Whew! *mops brow* I HOPE this is my last draft, it should be, but I can't make any promises just yet. I changed the beginning, because I wanted to capture your attention. I thought the old beginning was too boring for you guys to really pay attention. Heh, anyways.. I hope you liked it, I hope you were able to stay awake, and I hope there are still some unanswered questions, I LOOOOOVE to keep my readers in suspense. One thing you got to learn with me is that I'm not going to give you all the answers up front. I'm not gong to hit you over the head with them, like "Hey! Here they are! Take 'em!" Nope, I'll torture you a bit, get you interested and thirsting for more. Tease you a bit! It's a good tool, you should try it! Maw ha ha ha ha! I'm evil! Well, so long folks! R+R! I'll continue once I have hmmm, let's say three reviews. I won't even start writing the next chapter until I got 'em. Of course, I already have, like most of it done already.. Meep! Pretend I didn't say that..  
  
Cheers! ^_^  
  
Take wings (contact me): CuTiEpie94800@aol.com  
  
PS: No brownie points for guessing whom the assassin was.. 


	2. A New Liger

Whisperings of War  
  
Author's Notes: {Hey ya'll! I finally picked my lazy ass up and plopped it back down in front of the computer! ^_^ Now, on with the story! I am still alive!}  
  
Chapter two: A New Liger  
  
The air was stagnate and heavy with moisture of an awaited storm. The parched land seemed to be waiting, still, patient, yet eager. The dry grass stood steadfast, as not a breath of wind disturbed them. The crickets and birds no longer filled the air with sweet melodies and sounds. The landscape seemed empty and desolate, totally painted in one color of a russet golden brown. To the far south a shrouded stall of tall mountains projected from the ground in vain attempt to reach the stars. The great storm was already raging over the ragged peaks, but the water deprived land of their foothills still waited eagerly.  
  
The only sign of life were the twenty-one figures that made their way through the brittle grass under the heavy gray sky; a squadron and its commander. The squad consisted of twenty white Command Wolves and one Saber Fang. They seemed to be reluctant to reach their destination; for they appeared to be walking through thick mud.   
  
The commander, in the Saber Fang, spoke to his men over the telecom, "C'mon, troops, can't we pick up the pace a bit?"  
  
His voice danced with humor, and liveliness, just like his brilliant aquamarine eyes. His wild, thrown, blonde hair determined that he was wild and reckless, but the year he had spent in the army since being drafted proved to be a friction pad for that personality. The crazy cockiness he once possessed was somewhat subdued.  
  
"Sir, it's not like we want to get there as fast as we can!" One of the Privates replied jokingly.  
  
The Lieutenant laughed joyfully, trying to ebb the uneasiness and tenseness that hung like a heavy satin curtain in the already thick air. "I know, but it's the duty to our nation, so why don't we look at least a little gallant, huh?"   
  
The troops responded gallantly, by racing at top speed. The Commander sighed and shook his head exasperatedly. He had a unique bond with his troops: a sense of humor. He shouted after them with mock severeness, "What I meant was, can't we at least look proud. . . not 'Let's race over there like a buzzard to a carcass!' Come on!" At this remark the Command Wolves slowed to a brisk jog, the commander keeping good pace with them. "Now, that's better."  
  
"I bet you could beat us with you Liger couldn't you, sir?" One of the troops inquired, a hint of pride in his voice.   
  
The Lieutenant frowned. He hated being called "sir", it made him feel old and professional, something that he could not stand. He didn't care if it asserted his authority. He was only eighteen. "Godammit! Stop calling me sir!" he snapped.  
  
"Sorry, sir.. I mean.. Well, it's just so weird to call a commanding officer by.. You know.. Their first name.."  
  
"Well, you'd better get used to it, or I'll charge you with insubordination!" the blonde retorted, seeing the hurt face of the troop, he smirked and said quickly, "And yes, I could beat you with the Liger."  
  
***  
  
"Well, if it isn't Lieutenant Bit Cloud! How are you doing, son?" The old General greeted the young man standing in front of him. He took his out stretched hand and shook it with dignity.  
  
"I'm doing just fine, sir." He said smiling and giving him a curt nod.   
  
"Good, good! Glad to hear it, son! Oh yes, welcome to Fort Fornayak! My name is Ford Grissham, commander of this fort. Ever need anything, just come to me. I would never think to have the legendary Bit Cloud in my midst! I would never have thought that a wild one like you would be caught in the stiff air of the military. I guess the draft got ya didn't it?"  
  
Bit nodded. The General smiled, his watery, gray eyes shining. Bit liked the man, and was glad to be under his command, but he knew that he wouldn't be talking to him like this or showing such familiarity with a soldier of his rank if he wasn't what he was.  
  
"So, do you like your new station?" The General asked. Bit knew he was trying to start a conversation with "The-Famous-Bit-Cloud" not, the real Bit. He mentally sighed. He could hardly believe that an old war hammer like him would be phased by a sanctioned battle Warrior such as himself. Much of the army looked down on Zoid Battlers with disgust that they would use something as sacred as a Zoid for recreation and entertainment, let alone for the profit. Even Bit was beginning to doubt the ways of sanctioned battles.   
  
"Well, I haven't seen it yet, sir, but I'm sure I will like it here."  
  
"I sure do hope so." The General said hopefully. He continued to sit there and stare at Bit like a toy he had always wanted for Christmas but never had gotten.  
  
Bit relaxed his attention stance to look at him, "Uh, sir?"  
  
This seemed to wake the General from his reverie, his focus seemed to actually be on Bit now as licked his lips nervously. "Oh, yes, sorry there, son! I sometimes drift away, old age you know. . ." He said shiftily.  
  
Bit continued to stare at him, confused as the general stood there, starting to go back into his trance-like state. Before Bit interrupted him again he snapped out of it and smiled at him.  
  
"So, I'm guessing you want to see you Liger, eh?"  
  
***  
  
"She's equipped with the latest and greatest!" The General said proudly, holding his hand out to the magnificent Zoid before him in the Repair, Maintenance, and Development Hangar. His voice rebounded off the bare metal walls of the cavernous area, and Bit gaped at the new Liger, standing proud and tall in front of him.  
  
It had seven laser blades situated in strategic areas over the body and face, they were now spread and open, being sharpened and refined by repairmen. They gleamed almost maliciously in the dim light of the hangar. Bit couldn't see any other of weapons, but he already knew where they were and what they were. A back-mounted Howitzer that erected up from the inner structure of the Liger on command, tow laser Vulcan guns, hidden in the armor of the front shoulders, pop-out missile launchers placed at the side of the belly, and the side of the front shoulders, tow thrusters on each of the back legs and one on each of the front, a small pop gun on each cheek, two pop-up ion boosters, rather small but packed a punch, anti-lift wings on the sides, and a triple barrel shot gun on the under side of the belly. It truly was an amazing Zoid.  
  
Bit snapped out of his reverie, walking around his Liger stroking the armor, which was painted in a rich red, detailed and accented in white. He looked up and down at it, searching around it, going under it, gawking up at it, all while the General wore a smirk of pleasure and chuckled in delight.  
  
Bit continued his inspection, scrutinizing the gleaming blades, the repairmen-who were thoroughly engrossed in their work-stood up and saluted respectfully, just noticing him now. Bit nodded for them to continued, and like a child in a candy shop bounded up and on top of the massive Zoid. He saw two groves on either side of the back to fit a replaceable Hybrid cannon. His eye glittered with anticipation and excitement. The General, who actually used a ladder to get on top of the machine, saw his eager look and chuckled.  
  
"Well son, I guess you already know the basics, but let's get to the nit and grit. The armor is hollow to allow lightness although made of a steel, aluminum, and titanium alloy so it is lighter than the original Zero armor. The weapons are hidden to deceive the enemy. It's Hybrid Cannon can be airlifted to the Liger if needed. The Strike Laser Claw is still equipped, and we added a strong shield generator, it is only a front assault shield though. We also added a small blade on the tail, there are smoke dischargers on the flanks and cloaking system to allow for stealth. . ."  
  
"You added a Particle Gun, didn't you?" Bit asked suddenly, now looking down, and seeing the clamps on the Liger's feet. He narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Well. . .yes, Lieutenant, you must understand. . .whatever the Empire is developing. . ."  
  
"Just like the army!" Bit blurted out suddenly, standing up angrily. "You can't trust the talent of the pilot! You have to soup up a Zoid before you lay a hand on it! I defeated Vega with nothing but-"  
  
"Yes, mister Cloud!" the General shouted with calm anger, his hands folded neatly behind his hands, "But if that head of yours doesn't get any smaller, you will be in for a big surprise! The Berserk Fury looks like damn furry woodland creature next to this! And you better damn well be prepared!" Bit said nothing; the evidence of his cockiness and wild demeanor was still hovering in him, and talking to a General like that proved it.  
  
The General switched gears quickly because, he then smiled and said, "So.. why don't we take a look at the cockpit, eh?"  
  
~~~  
  
*Fornayak Mountains: Hideout and Resurrection Site for the Gygolous Empire*   
  
"Mister?hat was it again?" drawled cold, monotonious voice of the Empress.  
  
"Toros, ma'am" A light brunette man replied, sitting on the opposite side of the tent of the Empress behind a scrubbed metal table, in a fold-up chair. His hair was disheveled and messy, he had a livid bruise on his cheek, and his arms and ankles bound with handcuffs. He was dressed in the white lab jacket of the RDSZI or the Research and Developmental Sciences of Zoids Institution. It was stained with mud, and freshly wet with rain.  
  
"Ah, yes, Doctor Toros. . .Now, as I was saying, what exactly is the Eve of Death?" She asked, her usually bored, monotone voice showing a hint of curiosity and anticipation.  
  
"I don't know-"  
  
"You know very damn well! Don't lie to me Toros, or I will see it fitting to test the power of the Zoid on you as it's first victim!" The Empress said in a steady, but strong voice. The doctor remained contempt silence. The Empress gave him one of her malicious smiles and strolled over to him, leaning on the table nonchalantly, and pulled out her dagger and held it to the doctor's throat. "You watch yourself, doctor, not everyone is oblivious to 'Dangerous Beauty's' past. Oh, no, I know perfectly well who she is, and who you are."  
  
She pressed the dagger tighter to the culprit's neck, he stayed amazingly still and calm, breathing normally, but he was obviously bewildered. "Ever wonder where your little sister disappeared to?"  
  
The doctor, in a sudden rush of rage and disgust, shot up, and using his bound hands as a club; which had foolishly been cuffed on his front- swung them hard, hit the Empress with a resounding 'smack' as she fell back on the stone floor of the cave. The two guards, who had attended the Empress on her inquiry, rushed over and were upon him at once. Although the doctor was a scientist, he was also a former Zoid Warrior, and was strong and familiar in the ways of fighting, but the two, surly guards overpowered him with the butts of their rifles. The Empress finally stood up as the guards continued their onslaught, wiping blood from her cheek. She pointed to the guards, "Cease!"  
  
The guards stopped and backed away returning to their former posts. The Empress sneered in disgusted at the crumpled and sniveling man before her; his nose bleeding and broken, a new bruise on his cheek and a cut on his forehead. "Like I said, you better watch yourself."  
  
"What are going to do to her?" He croaked, his voice barely distinguishable.  
  
"Oh, don't worry. I'm taking very good care of her. She is far too important to harm. We don't want to spoil her, but she is prisoner, she is under my spell. In fact, if she weren't away on doing as I bid now, I could order her to kill you. . ." She paused to let the words sink in, staring coldly at the heap on the floor. "And she'd do it too. . ."  
  
"No she wouldn't! She'd never do that!" He shouted, suprising even himself at the tone of his voice.   
  
The Empress raised her eyebrows at him, pursing her lips. "Well, as I said, I could very well prove it to you, but she's away at the moment."  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"That is none of your concern, now is it?"  
  
"Everything is of my concern." Dr. Toros spat contemptuously.  
  
The Empress, who had retrieved her dagger from her rise from the floor, threw it at the doctor. It dug its point in his arm. He screamed in pain. The Empress walked over and kneeled next to him. She griped the hilt firmly and leaned on it pushing it further into the flesh. "You nieve fool, you show contempt to me and you will be punished," She said, matter-of-factly.   
  
She finally pulled the dagger free, with an agonized shriek from the doctor. She stood back up, watching the blood flow and spill all over his white coat. She turned smartly on her heel and stopped in front of the guards, "Clean this dagger for me," She said, handing the dagger to one of the men. She glanced back to the pathetic lump lying on the floor of the cave, "Clean him up, give him water, but no food, he'll talk when he's ready." She left the tent without a word or a backwards glance, her head held high.  
  
{This is the "edited" chapter. Mi Chell is now editing all the chapters for "Whisperings of War" now. She's actually the only one who's EVER edited my work, besides my dad. . . . Yeah, so.  
  
We're actually co-writing a story right now. Look for it!}  
  
Cheers!  
  
Contact me: CuTiEpie94800@aol.com 


	3. The Eve of Death

Whisperings of War  
  
{Just because I'm feeling responsible, and the fact that I love you guys, I decided to go ahead and write the next chappie! ^_^!!!! Yay! Read, enjoy, and review! I'm gonna do a little review tribute at the bottom!}  
  
Chapter 3: The Eve of Death  
  
*~*Two days after Dr. Toros' incarceration, The Fornayak Mountains*~*  
  
The Empress was growing impatient.  
  
Twice now, she had been in to check the doctor. Both times she had failed to even get an insult from him. Another reason for her irritant behavior was that she was eager to return to her luxury of her grand place; the conditions of the constant stormy weather, the damp, coldness of the cave, and the bareness of the accommodations was not her idea of living. She glowered in her tent, situated with luxuries that any of the soldiers could only dream about.  
  
On top of that, tenseness dwelled wherever she went. The Imperial Zoid Biologists estimated the awakening of the beast at any moment. The Empress prodded them for answers for her questions as well, but all they knew that the monster hidden in the strange glowing cocoon was the Eve of Death. They did not specialize in the studies of ancient Zoids history. Besides, all of the information pertaining to Zoid Eve, Ancient Zoidians, and the Eve of Death had been confiscated and kept under close scrutiny and supervision. They were the ones who had recommended Dr. Toros.  
  
Right now, she was enjoying a peaceful sleep. The drumming of rain and rumble of thunder lulled her into dark oblivion.  
  
"Your Highness," The young Lieutenant bowed as he entered the roomy tent, trying to keep his eyes riveted to the floor so as he did not goggle at the Empress's accommodations. He also didn't want to be thrashed because he interrupted her slumber. "The Doctor is wishing to see you."  
  
The Empress always slept light, and at the General's words, she sat up strait quite suddenly and quite surprisingly. "Dose he now? Is he ready?"  
  
The Lieutenant straitened up slowly, his eyes wandering to the rather comfortable looking winged armchair. Quickly, he focused on his Commander's face. He was obvious surprised at the Empress's behavior "Er, I don't know, Your Highness, but he's been pleading to see you." The Lieutenant wanted to add that he was getting increasingly annoying, but he decided to hold his tongue. He watched as Gygolous's ruler scurried through out her tent, flustered and muttering colorful language under her breath, and in a blatant rush. Brandishing her robe and slippers, she jogged briskly out of the tent. Leaving a very befuddled Lieutenant.  
  
~~~  
  
"I must see her! Quick! Get up off your ass! Go get her!" The Doctor raved. The sentry on duty, who was leaning against the stone mouth trying to get some sleep, shot him an icy glare and reached into his pocket for his usual "mid-duty" snack. He was pleased to see it was an apple and he hurled it at the doctor.  
  
"Here! Maybe that will shut you up!" The apple sunk into the edge of one the Commanders' sabers, which had been used to construct the small makeshift jail in which he was locked up. It consisted of bayonets, sticks and other miscellaneous things like that. The doctor sat in the rain, just outside the cave mouth. He wrenched the apple free and bit into it like a ravenous bear. Food! He hadn't had any for at least three days.  
  
In his ferocity of devouring the apple, he dropped it in the muddy ground he was sitting in. (the sides of the "jail" were too short for him to stand) He cursed loudly, but picked it up and began eating again, mud and all. The sentry looked away disgusted.  
  
Just then, the Empress rushed out of the cave passing the sentry like he wasn't there. He stood at attention either way though. Shockingly, she went right into the rain and knelt next to the doctor, taking no notice of the wetness and mud. "What do you know?"  
  
The Doctor smiled. The Empress recoiled; it consisted of mud and apple bits. She looked back to the sentry who was still at attention. He just looked to the grim smile of the doctor and then back to the Empress. "It was the only thing I could do to shut him up, Your Highness. . ."  
  
The Empress didn't answer and didn't seem to be angry. She gripped the hilt of a saber and wrenched it out of the mud. Before the Doctor could even move, she had grabbed his wrist, and with unbelievable strength, heaved the wretched creature out of his "prison", and dragged him into the cave, the saber still clutched in her wet palm.  
  
~~~  
  
The Empress shook off her guards, who were protesting her recent performance and dragged her victim into her tent, and flung him into the winged armchair. Without taking notice of anything but the doctor, she held the dripping saber to his neck. He seemed to have regained his insolence and bravery, for he didn't not even flinch at the prodding of the cold steel.  
  
"Tell me, Doctor." She said in a menacing growl. There was a pregnant pause, the only sound being the usual noise of the storm outside, and the dripping of the Empress's hair and robe. The Doctor finally decided to say something.  
  
"I didn't tell you because I thought you were just bluffing. Trying to get all of the information from me so you could convince the Republic into fear. I thought you were going to use it as some bargain. . ."  
  
"I don't want to here of your reasons for your damned insolence, fool! Tell me about the Eve of Death!"  
  
The Doctor went on, like she had never spoken. "I thought is was just some intricate scheme, but I see now. . .It's real. . ."  
  
"What are you rambling about?"  
  
"There is a reason why that information was confiscated and kept confidential!" The brunette shouted. This seemed to confirm his wishes for the Empress not to interrupt anymore. He'd get there.  
  
"To keep it from conniving people like you! But you found something better! You fond the real thing!  
  
"I used to be Leon Toros. I used to be a Zoid Warrior. I used to live in ignorant bliss!"  
  
The Empress almost thought he had gone crazy, maybe he was just ranting. She didn't see the point in what he was telling her, and she didn't like that. She pressed the saber blade harder against his neck, but before she could say anything the Doctor screamed.  
  
"If you don't get that fucking thing away from my neck I'll use it on you! I'm not bound anymore! Remember!"  
  
The Empress seemed unphased by this, she just prodded harder on the doctors neck.  
  
"I won't tell you a damn word!"  
  
The Empress shuddered as the words buried into her. She had never been treated like this before, but he was right. They clearly had each other by the tail. But the blade retained its position.  
  
Leon blew up. In one swift movement, he knocked the saber from her grasp catching it as it flew in the air, then he lunged forward, and in a flash, was pinning the Empress to cold stone floor of the cave, the saber blade to her throat. The Empress shook with a mixture of fear, shock, confusion, and utter rage. The guards heard the commotion and rushed in to see what was happening. They immediately started for Leon, but he pressed the curved blade harder against the Empress's neck and said in a fury- filled under tone, his teeth clenched together. "You take one more step and she dies."  
  
The guards automatically looked to the Empress, who nodded shakily. The guards nodded back, obviously apprehensive, and backed away to the wall of the tent, slowly.  
  
Leon continued his tirade, as if nothing had happened. "I can't stand having to bare the burden of this information any longer! I made a mistake. That damn Bit Cloud is the reason for all this! Him and his spectacular Zoid was the whole reason I became fascinated in the first place!"  
  
"He is hated by many." The empress said weakly, starting to regain some of her dignity.  
  
"Yes." Leon said simply and quietly, his eyes misting over. He closed them and then opened them again, looking into the Empress's cold blue eyes with a mind-boggling, unreadable expression. "The Eve of Death is the exact opposite of the Zoid Eve." He said quietly, "The Zoid Eve is the Creator, the Healer, the Protector, the Savoir. . .Everything a God should be.  
  
"It is said, that the Zoid Eve herself created the Eve of Death. She created it for the Armageddon that was inevitable. Every world must have one. She released it on Zi.  
  
"The Ancient Zoidians, who worshipped Zoid Eve, were shocked. They asked why She did it, why now? She never answered. She felt pity for the Ancient Zoidains, so she banished the creature. From then on, the Ancient Zoidians and the Zoid Eve were bound together in some way. They praised Her graciousness and gratified Her in the highest regard. The Zoid Eve was the God, and the Eve of Death was the Devil.  
  
"The Zoid Eve knew She had simply stalled the destruction. So a thousand years later, She woke the beast.  
  
"It destroyed and killed at a terrifying rate. The fleeing Zoidains, in attempt to save themselves, created the Death Saurer. But the Eve of Death has a will of it's own.  
  
"Instead of the Death Suarer protecting them, it joined forces with the Eve of Death. It destroyed them all."  
  
"But-" the Empress began, but Leon broke her off.  
  
"Some managed to be preserved in cryogenic hibernation, along with their faithful companions, Organiods, and some of their descendants still live today. Some may not have even been found yet. But I'm losing the point.  
  
"After the task was complete, the Zoid Eve tried to banish the Eve of Death again. She found that with its accomplice, it was too strong. So, with another, unknown Zoid's help, She fought an amazing battle, defeating the Death Suarer and the Eve of Death. The Zoid that helped Her was said to have devolved from its state at that time to the original Zoid after the battle. There was said to be a Zoidian and Organiod fused with the Zoid, that caused the Zoid to evolve in the first place. In reward for their efforts, the Zoid Eve spared the two.  
  
"The Eve of Death has been laying dormant ever since." Leon ended, his eyes closed again. The Empress lay silent, not knowing what to say.  
  
"It bends to no one's whim. It knows no master. It will not take commands. You wake this creature, and it is sure to be the end of all life on Zi."  
  
"Then why are the Zoids-"  
  
"Because they have special capabilities! Because they are minions of Eve! Because they can fight!"  
  
"But-"  
  
"Listen, you have no idea what you're dealing with. The only reason Zoids are still here is because the Zoid Eve resurrected them. They all died!" He yelled, clearly losing control. The saber was quivering because Leon was shaking with rage. Then he suddenly broke down into helpless raking sobs. "Oh God! Bit! He's the one!" He choked out suddenly. His tears of rage and sadness rolled down his face and dropped on the Empress'. To her, they stung like acid. Like they contained all of his bitterness and regret. She had no idea what was going on, but she was too scared to speak.  
  
She also couldn't speak for she was dead.  
  
Leon had sliced her throat, the blood rushed across the floor of the cave, creeping to the feet of the dumb founded guards.  
  
"To save you the trouble." Leon muttered  
  
The brunette leapt up and the guards moved toward him. As if it never happened, they were laying crumpled on the floor and bleeding where the saber had penetrated their stomachs in a couple of seconds.  
  
The crazed doctor rushed out into the cave, nobody was awake. He sprinted to a Redler swiftly and silently, making sure his blood-drenched saber didn't drip on any of the soldiers. He jumped in the cockpit and the air-borne Zoid came to life. He maneuvered it to the cave mouth, and prepared for take off.  
  
Like the scurrying of ants from a morsel of food, the soldiers awoke and started grabbling for their guns. The older Lieutenant threw open the dual flaps of the tent, the younger lieutenant joining him a short while later.  
  
"What the hell do you think your doing?" The blonde screamed idly at the retreating Zoid. He rushed forward and jumped into the cockpit of the other Redler, and started it up. The older Lieutenant ran after him, but it was too late. Leon had already taken off, and the young blonde was in the process of doing so.  
  
"Oh, no you don't!" He said as he took off, feeling a rush of adrenaline that warmed his body and prepared him for the battle ahead. Leon noticed the pursuing Redler and accelerated. The Lieutenant narrowed his eyes and laughed to himself, he forgot this guy used to be a Warrior. But he hated Redlers. After centuries of difficulty with them, they were still the "pride of the Imperial air force". They had no weapons besides the tail spike and alloy talons, and on top of that, they were so hard to pilot. He was surprised that that doctor could control it as well as he was.  
  
He erected his tail spike and accelerated until he was along side the doctor. Leon, either though he was having more luck piloting it than most others, was still having difficulty. With all his strength, which wasn't much after being deprived of food for so long, he threw himself on the controls, and did a turning dive. The lieutenant obviously had an advantage; he followed, piloting the difficult Zoid much more easily than the doctor. He got just above Leon's Redler and descended. The talons dug into the fuselage, and sparks and smoke spewed from the gaping holes left behind. Just when the Lieutenant thought he won, Leon erected his tail spike, they were so close, that the spike was buried almost it's whole length. As the enemy's Redler started to fall, the spike sliced into the belly of the Redler, leaving a long gash the length of Zoid.  
  
The two Zoids fell together, and as they fell, it was then the Lieutenant saw why he was such a fool. They were going to crash right in Republic territory. He pulled his ejection lever, and he flew out of the doomed cockpit, falling slowly to the ground as the parachute unfurled.  
  
Leon stayed in his Redler, almost unconscious with the violent spinning and diving of the cockpit. His already weak body gave in, his obscure senses oblivious to the danger he was in; in his mind he was falling, into warmth and safety, to a world with out trouble or worry, no thought at all. It would be so much easier just to give up. . .  
  
{MAW HAHAHA! CLIFF HANGER FOR YOU! AH HAHAHA! **Gets slapped by an invisible but concerned reader** Erm, yes. Well, I hope that you enjoyed this chappie. I really enjoyed writing it. It's violent yes, BUT VIOLENCE IS FUN! HAHAHA- **Stops before she can be slapped again** There is still more information to come! And more chapters! And B/L! I PROMISE! Read and Review! The end of this chapter REALLY sucked! ^_^ Just thought I'd let you know!}  
  
Cheers!  
  
Contact me: CuTiEpie94800@aol.com  
  
REVEIWER TRIBUTES: (I dun usually do this. . . AT ALL!)  
  
KITIA MATSURU: Forgive me if I spelled that wrong. My bestest author buddy! **Cuddles** I've been doin' just great thinks for asking! It has been awhile. Thanks, I hope it's gonna be an amazing fic! This is my biggest project yet! Everything I do now actually is a big project, because I'm such a perfectionist! ^_^; Oh well! Someday, I'm going to read ALL your stories word for word! Did you look at my campaign one? I can't remember. . . I you haven't check it out! Audi! LOL.  
  
MI CHELL: I'm glad you intrigued! That's what I want! Thanks a lot for the great review! Actually, it's thanks to you that this story lives! MAW HAHAHA! If you hadn't e-mailed me and done all of that stuff, I would probably have never written this. Lets give her a hand folks! YAY! Thanks, for that e-mail. Cause I love this story, and I've put my heart and soul into it and it would be a real shame if I just let it rot away. I also felt so special! I felt like a celebrity! Like I was KNOWN! Wow! Thanks so much! **Smooches** Oh, yeah, I'm almost done with editing the chapter! This is awesome!  
  
HANAMARU23: Forgive if I spelled that wrong. Wow, your real excited ain't you? LOL! Well? Here's not one, but TWO new chappies! HAHA!  
  
HIKARI: I LOVE your penname. I really appreciated your review! Yeah, most of my stuff (That's in my HEAD anyways. . .) is pretty dark and cruel and stuff. Makes it more interesting and realistic. I have this thing with realism. . .I dunno, maybe it's my perfectionism. Go fig. . .  
  
TO ALL MY ANONOMOUS REVEIWERS: Thanks SO much! W-woo! I love all ya'll! (Yes, I am a Southerner. . .BORN AND BRED BABY! Ahem, got a problem with that?)  
  
Thank you! That's all ya'll! 


	4. Along Came a Spider

Whisperings of War  
  
{Been awhile hadn't it? Well, I'm here with another little Chappie for you! This one's going to be really long, so I warn you! ^.^}  
  
Chapter Four: Along Came a Spider  
  
"Uh, sir?" A young Private entered in the doorway of the testing and overseeing room. He was standing attention, and looked anxious.  
  
"What is it?" General Grissham asked sourly. He was watching the testing of the new Liger on a holographic screen, where the red Zoid was now dodging automatic erecting obstacles with amazing speed and agility, and he was completely enthralled and was frustrated as to what could possibly be more important than this. There were two engineers sitting at a console with him that was collecting various types of data from the Liger, and overseeing safety errors, and progress of the testing. Without waiting for an answer, the General turned back to the screen, watching with extreme interest and delight.  
  
"Er, Well, sir. . ." The Private started nervously, clearly afraid that he was going to anger the General, who was known to be having a short temper, but having that cool fierceness that would chill your blood. "There's been a report of an two unidentified, Imperial, airborne Zoids that have crashed just a couple miles into Republican Territory, sir."  
  
At this, the General turned around, his euphoria of the success of the Liger shattered at these words, he paled and set his jaw into a grim firmness. "Imperial?" He asked simply, his voice showing no emotion.  
  
The Private nodded meekly.  
  
The General licked his lips in concentration. "Airborne?"  
  
The Private gave another short nod, he was obviously befuddled by the General's actions; he seemed to be having trouble digesting this information.  
  
"Unidentified?"  
  
"Yes, sir,"  
  
"Crashed?" Grissham said, his voice rising with suspicion, wonder, and shock.  
  
"Yes, sir,"  
  
The General licked his lips again dropping his gaze to the floor as if it would give him a logical answer to this peculiar predicament. He clearly confused, but ready to act just the same. He turned around facing the screen and said, "Bit, how would like to try that Liger out for real?"  
  
The Liger stopped its actions on the screen and Bit's voice came forth, "And what is that, sir?"  
  
Grissham smiled, to the surprise to everyone. "I want you to do a reconnaissance mission for me."  
  
"Sir?" Bit said, both bemused, anxious and curious.  
  
Before answering Grissham looked back to the still nervously waiting Private, "Well? Where is it, son?" He asked as if he were to state that just as Bit remarked.  
  
The Private started and blinked as if being woken from a trance, he licked his lips and continued. "The edge of the foothills, sir, to the east. Coordinates are: BE450, FM238, sir."  
  
"Thank you, you may be dismissed, Private." The General stated crisply. The Private saluted stiffly, and walked out of the room, bewildered. "Now, Bit," The General said to Bit through the Telecom screen that had now appeared to show the blonde's face as the troop left. Turning back around with his eyes closed, "I want you to take you and some scouts to hunt out a crash site for me. Apparently, two Imperial Zoids crashed in our territory. I want you to go check for survivors or runaways. Just scan the area for anything suspicious or signs of life. You need to go with all stealth, lest it's a trap."  
  
"But, sir. . ."  
  
"No, 'buts' mister Cloud. This is the perfect time to test the stealth abilities of the Liger, since we've tested everything else. I'll send out the head stealth and espionage scout, and a squadron of Gun Snipers with to you. Just wait there." The General smiled triumphantly as Bit gave his famous cocky ambition grin and nodded without further question.  
  
~~~  
  
Bit sat in the empty surroundings of the grassy foothills, the wind was starting to pick up, and there was a progressive drizzle as the storm finally decided on dumping it's cargo upon the parched land. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins. Finally, after almost two years, he had been drafted, trained, beaten, scolded, punished, and worked; he finally had a chance to do something, to be his usual cocky self. He smirked to himself; he also could put this amazing Zoid to good use. He decided, while waiting for the team Grissham had dispatched that he would conserve his energy, and take a short nap. One thing he had learned during his service in the military is that you had to sleep whenever given the opportunity.  
  
"Bit? You son of a bitch, I can't believe it's you!" A voice came from his transmitter, it was a deep gravely voice, that had the sound of a loner behind it.  
  
Bit opened his eyes and looked up, clearly confused as to why he would be so-to put it mildly- rudely awakened from his slumber. He saw figures on the horizon in front of him, heading toward him. He figured they were the team the General had deployed. He had no idea who or why the solider addressed him in such familiarity, although it seemed oddly familiar, but the fact that he had been half-asleep at the time didn't allow help in deciphering it.  
  
He was about to respond when a screen clicked into view in front of him to reveal a young man in his mid to early twenties, long brown hair and light blue eyes.  
  
"Aw, c'mon, don't tell me your falling asleep on the job?"  
  
Bit blinked, clearly bemused as to what was happening. "B-Brad?" He stammered, shocked.  
  
The man smirked and chuckled gruffly. "Your not the only one who got drafted, you know." His malevolent grin widened.  
  
Bit gave a higher degree of the same kind of smirk back at him. "You sly fox. How'd you get here?"  
  
"Well, I was one of the first ones to be drafted. The army was in desperate need of stealth Zoids. I got thrown in about. . .five months after you left."  
  
Bit blinked, that's when he realized that both armies had practically drafted the whole population of their countries in preparation for the massive war that was certain to come. A thought crossed his mind, "Do you know what happened to Leena? Or Jamie?" He asked eagerly.  
  
Brad just shrugged. "Leena left about three months after you, seemed pretty upset, couldn't take it anymore. Haven't heard from her since." Brad paused reflectively, seemingly contemplating something. After a brief, charged silence, he continued, "I heard Jamie's in the air force, not sure what he's doing though. That kid's good at everything though, so whatever he's doing, I'm sure he's enjoying himself. He's stationed at some base down in the Degan Plateau."  
  
Bit blinked and his face fell. He suddenly felt guilty, after all his years gone from the team that had been his family for so long, he hadn't even attempted to keep in touch. He was glad Brad was here, and he was happy for Jamie, but the news of Leena disturbed him. Sure, she was an obnoxious, trigger-happy, fiery-and at times dangerous, but he still had shared two years of his life with her, and they were comrades after all. He was going to question Brad further, after being isolated from everybody he had ever known for so long, he couldn't help but be curious, but he was cut short by another screen popping up at his left side.  
  
"Well, if it isn't Lieutenant Bit Cloud. At your service, sir!" A voice of the woman in the screen said jokingly. She had dark red hair, almost a mahogany, with purple eyes.  
  
"Naomi?" Bit asked, once again shocked, though not to the degree of first seeing Brad, by this time, he was well used to the fact that there was other people here beside himself.  
  
Naomi laughed, but didn't answer his question. "I never thought I'd see the day I would be seeing Bit Cloud in the army! I bet you don't like it much."  
  
Bit smirked. "It's amazing what a couple years in the army will do to you, either though I'm not giving up that easily. I'm surprised to see you here as well." He said humorously. Naomi was none to be the one that would not be pushed around, and was rather independent.  
  
Naomi smiled, "Yeah, well, we can't sit here reminiscing about the good ole' times. We got a job to do!"  
  
~~~  
  
"Dear lords. . ." One of the troops in the Gun Sniper squadron gasped, the sight before them would chill the blood of anybody who looked upon it. Bit, Brad, and Naomi looked on, open-mouthed and completely speechless. There before them lay what once were grand Redlers, but now were nothing more than two mangled forms of charred material and mangled metal. They had crashed at an amazing speed and altitude, and had obviously had been sent to their fate in close proximity to one another for the two Zoids were incredibly close to one another. Debris and pieces were scattered over a span of at least a half of mile, and one of the pathetic forms was still on fire. All present at the scene highly doubted any person could possibly survive a crash like that, but there was always a possibility, and they had orders.  
  
"Well-well, I guess we should start, eh?" Naomi stated shakily. Bit and Brad just nodded numbly in the cockpits of their Zoids, still staring at the sight appalled. They remained morbid and silent for some time when Brad distracted everyone from their trance-like state.  
  
"Well, I'll look in the woods for runaways. . .Bit, you and Naomi and the others stay here and check out the remains, call up a hospice Gustav if you need to." And without further hesitation, Brad slunk off into the thick woods, dispelling some smoke for cover.  
  
Bit blinked and urged the Liger forward to the wreck closest to him, Naomi following suit, to the other wreck. The other Gun Snipers remained idle until Naomi gave them swift orders to patrol the perimeter and scan the surroundings. Bit shook his head somberly. "It's amazing that these were once Zoids. . .I mean look at them."  
  
"Yeah. . ." Naomi said numbly. None of the two people had been in the service for very long and hadn't yet experienced the horrors of war, and this was the most gruesome thing they had seen yet. Naomi, very delicately, tipped over a scrap of one of the largest pieces of metal of the pile of debris with the foot of her Gun Sniper. She gasped. "Bit! Get over here quick!"  
  
"What? What is it?" He abandoned the occupation of just staring blankly at the wreck he was studying and rushed over to Naomi's sight. Naomi, her face blanching and sickly pale, indicated a crumpled form of a man's body with trembling hands. Bit's eyes widened, he stared, transfixed as the face of the man, which had somehow stayed preserved, jumped out at him. His horrors were confirmed when he heard the racking, drenching sobs of Naomi. She was crying for her former teammate; Leon Touros.  
  
~~~  
  
Brad peered around the dark and foreboding looking woods suspiciously. He sensed someone or something was there, watching him. His hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, all of his senses tensed and sharpened, zeroing in on his invisible quarry. He sat in his cockpit, his eyes closed and completely still, taking in everything around him. When the beeping of his transmitter alerted him of reality. He switched it on and was greeted by the ferocious sobbing of Naomi. He immediately became aware of nothing but her, all thoughts of the mysterious apparition surrounding him lost in his concern for Naomi. Before He could say anything, Naomi chocked out, "Brad! Oh Brad are you there?"  
  
"Yes! I'm here Naomi! What the hell happened?" His voice speedy with urgency but warm with intense concern.  
  
"Oh Brad. . .It's awful. . .Leon! Oh Gods!"  
  
"Naomi! Come on! What is it? What's happened?" He was growing impatient, but he was strained with anxiety. He was greeted with bits of speech, broken by static.  
  
"Leon. . .Bit. . .Brad. . .crash. . .dead. . .Eve. . .Death. . ."  
  
Brad's brow furrowed, he was furious with exasperation and anxiousness, "What? Naomi! Naomi God damn it! What is it?!" He sputtered. But all he got in response was flat static. What the hell? Before Brad had time to ponder what he had just heard, he turned back around to go back the way he came, to come face-to-face with the barrel of a Gun Sniper tail gun, painted in the deepest shade of black. Before he had time to do anything besides blink in confusion, the gun was fired.  
  
~~~  
  
"Brad! Brad! Damn it! Where are you?" Naomi screamed into the transmitter. There was nothing but the mocking buzz of static from the other end. Naomi let out an anguished sob and looked to Bit. He was standing over Leon, completely at a lose for words. Leon had done something completely unbelievable, and suddenly spoken a prophecy of some kind: "You are the one Bit. You hold great responsibility. Seek out the Zoidian. Free the tyrant, defeat the foe, and forsaken the beast that bares you burden." Then he had passed, just like that, like a dying flame. Bit was still standing above him, not knowing really what to do or say. Naomi distracted him from his empty trance. "Brad's not answering! It went fuzzy all of a sudden. Bit, I don't like what's going on here. . ."  
  
"Yeah, me either. . ." Bit said mechanically. He continued to stare down at Leon, but finally tore his gaze away and scrambled up the Liger and back into the cockpit. "What do you suppose it means?" Bit asked Naomi over the transmitter. There was no response however, as it was muffled with static. Bit contemplated this for a moment, he was utterly confused, and he didn't like it.  
  
But before he could elaborate further, he was flung back to reality by a shot from the woods and Naomi's Zoids falling, a gaping hole in its chest. Bit looked over to where the Gun Sniper lay, smoking and crumpled on the ground, but before he could do anything to help her, a pitch black Gun Sniper emerged from the shadows of the forest. ~~~ {^.^ MAW HAHAHAHAHA! Major cliffhanger there! I hate this chapter! It's very cheap. . .but was necessary none the less! AH HAHAHAHA! The static has some significance and the prophecy Leon recited. Now, I'm not going to say ANYMORE! Just that I hoped you enjoyed and that you REVIEW! Thank you!}  
  
Cheers!  
  
Contact me: CuTiEpie94800@aol.com 


	5. URGENT AUTHOR'S NOTE! READ!

To all of my faithful readers;  
  
I know that I have not posted anything in a long time. I **have** been writing, no problem there, but I feel so unsettled, and I'm not going to go too much into that, I must separate my personal life with me writing.  
  
So, dear reader, I must leave you in a fog here, but I find it necessary to write this.  
  
I **am** very sorry to be just leaving you like this, but I'm very disappointed in myself and my writing at the moment, and I find that I must go through a "reformation" of sorts. You may find me a bit obsessive and maybe even delirious, but I find that it is needed, and you will not be able to persuade me otherwise.  
  
I notice that I cannot do this every time I mature or something of that sort, but with this particular situation, I find it necessary. I really must take some time off to find myself, and organize my life to one that is healthy again. I have found myself slowly declining over time, and the reasons and consequences shall be kept from you, not that they are very serious.  
  
Once I get myself strait again, I will go back over all that I have written, and look over advice given from reviews and try to improve it all. I really hate to this to you, but basically what this is a proclamation of temporary suspension. I find that with the standards that I have set for myself, I must prepare and do **a lot** of reading and research. I don't wish to be just a mediocre, impassive author. I know that we all do, but I cannot explain.  
  
As I have said before, my regrets and apologies written on the page are not adequate to express my utter sorrow. I'm sorry for my own mislead judgments, and irresponsible behavior. I take all the blame.  
  
I cannot go on, but I **will** leave you with what I have written of the fifth chapter. All of it is unedited and is completely the raw draft. I will not bother to look over it. I will also leave half of the first chapter of my recent feat that I was working on, and will still progress with it once I've fixed everything.  
  
Thank you so much, dear readers; you are the whole reason I write. You are the very air I breath, as corny as it sounds. . .  
**********  
Chapter Five: A Ghost of the Past  
  
Bit sat in his cockpit, transfixed by the sight of the Gun Sniper. He had a strange quiver of intense fear creep up his spine like a melting ice cube sliding up his back, a sensation unfamiliar to him, which frightened him even more. The sight in front of him was almost surreal, like a phantasm of some appalling nightmare. The rain blurred the edges of the Zoid giving the illusion that it was melted into the forest, like some kind of ghost of the wood. The only evidence of its true existence was in the abrupt, electric purple slits of the demonically glowing eyes. Bit didn't notice his sweaty and rain drenched hands subconsciously gripping the controls of the Liger tighter and tighter, until they were shaking with uncontrollable fear and shock. His face paled and his lips pressed into a thin, white line. He had no notion as to why a simple Gun Sniper would make him quake in fear like a scared child, and it angered him.  
  
For what seemed like ages, Bit and mysterious Gun Sniper stood in utter stillness and silence, the battering raindrops on the hood of the cockpit and splashing on the muddy ground the only sounds that made the world seem real. In this length of time, Bit's anger over his fear, finally consumed his fright and he finally bellowed, "Who the hell are you? God damn it!" He almost surprised himself at his own sputtering rage, but his fury was too over powering for him to consider anything else. He didn't even consider the fact, that no matter how loud he should scream, his adversary would never hear. His whole body was shaking with diminished fear and incredible, inexplicable anger, as the Gun Sniper remained idle. He finally let out a wild, animal-like cry and charged forward, impatient with waiting, and his nerves on fire with rage.  
  
Just as he was about to make contact, the Gun Sniper threw out it's tail and whipped it out clubbing the Liger onto it's back into the squelching mud with mind boggling speed. Bit sat in the cockpit of the Liger, completely spellbound, as he watched the mud writhe and cringe on the hood of the cockpit as he unknowingly urged the Liger up on its feet. With a smack of suction, the muddied Zoid lifted itself from the ground and confronted it's opponent. Bit was greeted with the huge barrel of the Gun Sniper's tail gun, right in front of the cockpit, a gaping hole of eternal blackness. Bit had prepared himself for this. In the little time with the Zoid, he figured that whoever was piloting it would not want to fight like a true Warrior, and probably pull some dirty stunts like this. He stood transfixed for only a moment, and jumped to the side out of range of the gun just in time, for the pilot fired the shot and it only succeeded in creating a fair-sized crater in the ground, the mud and water from the explosion flying and splashing onto the Liger and the Gun Sniper. Bit could tell that this move greatly shocked the pilot, for the Zoid stood idle for a long while-well, just long enough for him to make his move. Within the second of contemplating this, he pounced forward, hitting the Gun Sniper on its flank. It teetered over with a squelching boom. Bit held it down with the Liger's front paws, and was about to shoot at it to take it out, but, with mind boggling speed, the sniper positioned it's leg underneath the Liger's belly and thrusted it outwards, sending the Liger sprawling, once again, in the mud. Bit recovered himself quickly. He soon realized that this was a *very* skilled pilot. He really was going to put Liger through his paces.  
  
He launched himself at the Gun Sniper, not wanting to attain more damage, with hi Strike Laser Claw powering up. He jumped, ready to strike, but, once again, his adversary proved to have almost inhuman reflexes. They Gun Sniper pointed one of it's hand mounted shot guns at the Liger's underside, and shot him twice in mid air. Bit and Liger once again endeavored another journey into the mud. "C'mon Liger. Get up! You can do it! Your not gonna loose to a dinky little Gun Sniper are you?" The Liger got unsteadily to its feet, the Gun Sniper still and waiting, which surprised Bit. "Who the hell are you?" Bit mumbled to himself.  
  
"A ghost of the Past"  
  
At first, Bit thought he had imagined it. That voice. . .it was so familiar, yet obscure. It made his blood run cold, and his pulse quicken. His skin paled and the hairs on his neck stood on end. He felt like a bucket of ice was suddenly placed in his stomach. How could the pilot say anything? The transmission was dead. His moment of paralysis let the Gun Sniper knock him down again with amazing speed and keep him restrained with one massive foot, the menacing steel claw prodding the Liger's neck. Bit just sat, a sudden numbness coming over him and a fuzziness enclosing and distorting his vision. Liger roared with frustration at his hesitance, but failed to push the Gun Sniper away. The Black Gun Sniper hefted its arm around to the very front of the cockpit so that its gun was positioned to shoot.  
  
Bit looked up, his vision suddenly becoming clear.  
  
The gun fired.  
  
***  
  
"Bit!" Screamed the pilot, "Dangerous Beauty". Her voice was a mixture of regret, utter shock, and self-loathing. The girl let out a dry anguished sob. She stayed, transfixed in that position, the silence broken by the steady pattering of relentless rain and the distant rumble of thunder.  
  
What had she done? She could shoot to kill with out a blink of an eye, but this was the first time she had had an emotional reaction to one of her missions.  
**********  
This, I fear will only send me more grief for giving you such a cliffhanger, but I will be back; bigger and better than ever.  
************  
Up Against the Glass  
  
{Author's Notes: This is a contest entry.first chapter only and written and editing in little over a day, so it may not be my best work. *Shrugs* Oh well, here it goes!}  
  
Summary: Bit is visited by a strange dream one night after another victorious battle for the Blitz Team in the prestigious S-Class. The dream stirs something in Bit that drives him to go find answers, but Leena's not going to let him go without a fight.  
  
Disclaimer: "Zoids" does not belong to me. I'm only using it as a palette for my own weird indulgment, and for anyone else who enjoys the show. All the song and poetry excerpts I use do not belong to me, unless if I specify otherwise. Do not steal MY plot though. You will be taken out and shot.  
  
Chapter One: Black Balloon " Baby's black balloon makes her fly  
  
I almost fell into that hole in your life  
  
And you're not thinking about tomorrow  
  
'Cause you were the same as me  
  
But on your knees "A thousand other boys could never reach you  
  
How could I have been the one  
  
I saw the world spin beneath you  
  
And scatter like ice from the spoon  
  
That was your womb "Comin' down the world turned over  
  
And angels fall without you there  
  
And I go on as you get colder  
  
Or are you someone's prayer." --Goo Goo Dolls "Black Ballon"  
A slash of a blade and the 'clash' of colliding metal sounded the fall of the third and last Zoid. As it fell with a ground-shaking crash, there stood majestically above its slayer. The white tiger-like Zoid bayed a mighty roar as the seiren blared the end of the brief and painless match.  
  
"Battle over, Battle over! The winner is. . .The Blitz Team!" The Judge announced in his usual monotone, mechanic voice. The capsule door closed and with a bright flash, the rocket on the capsule ignited and the Judge returned to one of the many Judge Satellites orbiting the planet from space.  
  
Bit smirked as he watched the Judge ascend through the sky, squinting as the sweltering Sun hampered his vision. He looked back down at the fallen Zoid, a Gun Sniper. "Pretty good fight, I some-what enjoyed that."  
  
The reply was simply a mocking laugh and a sardonic, "Yeah, whatever," It was well known throughout Zi that the Blitz Team were a force not to be taken lightly. Elite S-class teams would go to the local bars and hang-outs and scoff about how all of the Blitz Team's winning were simply a fluke and that they were over-rated and how better their team was and that they could beat them with their eyes closed. These teams were quickly subdued. Most of the Zoid Warrior population admired the team with certain awe and esteemed them to a point of worship. There were others that hated them and always said that they were getting fat and happy and would eventually fall; they were nothing but rookies after all. There were still others who saw the team as a major income source. Store owners and resteraunt managers would hold bets and make pools, on the Blitz Team, who were almost always a sure win. The other, more respectable Warriors, saw it as a great opritunity to hone their skills and entertain themselves to a good fight.  
  
"Great work team! At this rate, we'll be in the top-ranks!" Doc announced to his team over the Communicator.  
  
"Yeah, well, I think we all know who you have to than-" Bit started but was cut-off by a sting to Liger's rear-end which was undeniabally from one of Leena's popgun's. "Hey!" He complained.  
  
"Stop your gloating and whining and c'mon!" Leena replied. Bit's face fell in injured dignity as he watched Brad and Leena direct their Zoids back into the hangar of the Hover Cargo. Bit opened his mouth to give a smart retort, but snapped his jaw shut, not really sure as to what to say. Resigned, he loped back into the Hover Cargo with the others. ~~~ Naomi and Leon sat around a small table in a local pub, which was a popular hang-out for the resident Zoid Warriors and citizens to congregate and watch the many battle broadcasted across Zi. As the battle between the Blitz Team and the opposing came to a close, there was a heatly smatter of applause mingled with boos and hisses and even some angry shouts consisting of some colorful language. Naomi closed her eyes in an unsurprised sigh and stood up. "Well, just as predictable as the rest," She said and started to walk towards the door. Leon remained at the table, staring blankly at the big screen built into the wall, which was now showing a clas-A battle, but he clearly wasn't watching it as he was immersed in deep thought. Naomi turned around a look of wonderment on her face. "Leon? Are you coming?" Leon, as if he had just noticed her presence looked up and shook his head.  
  
"Nah, you go ahead. I'll meet up with you later."  
  
Naomi looked apprehensive. "Okay. . ." She said with obvious uncertainty and bewilderment etching her features. Leon did not seem to notice. Naomi knew her team mate well enough to know that he was going into yet another one of his "thinking times". Pretty mundane name she knew, but she couldn't think of anything else to call it. Creativity was not one of her stronger points.  
  
As Naomi left, Leon leaned forward, his elbows on the tabletop, his index fingers steepled and pressed against his lips, his brow creased in intense contemplation.  
  
"I wonder. . ." He murmmered. ~~~ 1:30 A.M. Blitz Team HQ  
  
Bit walked groggily into the kitchen, scratching his bed-tousled hair and yawning loudly, garbed in boxers and a baggy white tee-shirt. He had woken from a growling stomach. He had only one of Leena's cookies and after chasing him around the base like fleeing prey, it had pretty much worn off. He opened the refrigerator door and blearily peered inside it with squinted eyes, the sudden light conflicting with his vision.  
  
"Do we read each other minds or what?" A fimilar sarcastic voice came from behind him. Bit didn't even bother to turn around as he unwrapped a chicken leg from some foil and took a bite out of it.  
  
"I don't see why you say that every time." Bit said over the large lump of chicken in his mouth. He turned around to face his visitor, leaning against the counter, gnawing on his drumstick. These little midnight meetings had become almost a nightly occurance. Sometimes Bit would find Leean standing over the sink picking at cold spaghetti in a plastic tuper-ware container. It was almost ritual. Leena smirked and walked to the fridge, shoved Bit into the stove and bent down to observe the options. Bit, with a devilish smile on his face as he rubbed his side and inched behind Leena, with one hand still clutching his half-eaten drumstick, he rose his free hand, poised to strike. Just when he was ready to deliver his blow on Leena's exposed rump, she suddenly shot up strait with an uncovered, leftover glass of milk in one hand and a jar of pickles in the other. The contents in the glass conviently leaped from their restraint and smartly onto Bit's face. Leena, pretending that this was all news to her, spun around quickly, her arms still up and clutching her prizes. The pickle jar connected with Bit's jaw in a jarring collision. Leena, her amazing acting skills getting the better of her made an 'O' with her mouth and said with mock seriousness. "Bit! You look terrible! You know, you should really get some more rest. Pickle?" She said pulling one of the pickles out of the large glass jar and dangling it in front of Bit's nose, who was hanging on the counter for support as he messaged his bruised jaw. He just shook his head numbly. Leena shrugged, consumed the pickle, and started off to her room.  
  
Bit, suddenly feeling too tired too tired to eat anymore, placed the chicken leg back in the fridge and walked almost mechanically back into his room, rubbing his jaw. He pulled his shirt off and collapsed onto his bed, his stomach full, and his senses drowsy. ~~~  
  
He was standing in a white room. Actually, not even a room. It was more like a void of o one eternal color: white. The color was so infinite it boggled his mind and blinded him. He looked down to see that the rest of his body was there. It was. When he looked back up there was a woman. She was dressed in clean white robes, fringed in gold with a delicate red sash hanging about her neck and tapering down the front which was embroidered with complex stitching of loopy vines, paramounting to a circle and cross at the neck. She bore no jewelry except for a delicate and ornate gold crown that looped and furled to the shape of a lion head, teeth bared in a fearsome grimace of intimidation. Her golden hair cascaded down her back in an elegant fall of blonde curls. She held herself like a royal queen of dignified breeding. She was breath-takingly beautiful, it was almost godly, surreal and celestial. She had an air of one of many primoddons depicted in great painting in famous churches and cathedrals. Bit could only stand there, transfixed by this higher being in his presence. She glided forward, her feet seemingly not moving uder the yards of fine fabric that draped her body.  
  
"Bit Cloud," Her voice was musical, containting the melodies of chorusing angles. Bit was not in the least surprised that she knew his name. He remained motionless and unvoiced in awe. "You are hated by many people, you have been targeted; you and your teammates. Make haste. Find me, and you shall be free." She placed her perfect, delicate hands on the sides of his face. Her touch was cool, smooth, and comforting, almost like feathers. She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his forehead, and Bit could still feel the softness of those lips on his fevered brow a long time afterward. Then, without another word, she stood back and simply melted into the white background. ~~~  
  
Bit awoke, rather reluctantly. When he opened his eyes, he saw nothing or heard nothing of what had caused him to have been disturbed. He looked at his clock. He had only been asleep a couple of minuets. He only pondered this notion for a short moment. Bit suddenly had a rush of urgent determination to leave. He didn't exactly know why, but he swung his legs over the bed and got up. He walked over to his closet, pulled out a worn and ill used dffule bag from under a pile of various discarded articles of clothing. He unzipped it and started to stuff things in the bag; clothes, tolitries. . .the esstentials, dressing him self in a rush as he did so.  
  
In only a couple of moments, Bit had stuffed all he needed into the bag and slung it over his shoulder. He started to walk to the hangar, but turned around, thinking better of it. He walked into the kitchen. He saw Leena peering into the fridge once again, clutching the door handle for support. She striatened herself, a can of soda in one hand and a piece of cold pizza in the other and snorted. "Back so soon?" She said nonchalantly with her back still facing Bit. She chuckled and started to turn around and said in a humorous voice, "I would have thought with that beating. . ." She looked skeptically at the duffle bag dangeling from his shoulder. "What's with the baggage?" She said as he brushed past her. She was surprised that his characteristic cocky grin wasn't on his face as it normally was. His aqua eyes were clouded and closed off, his jaw set firm, his lips pressed into a thin line, and his brow slightly creased with unfeigned determination. "Hey, Bit. I mean I know that it must of hurt, but that's no reason to go running off!" She said in a comforting voice, her eyes still showing signs of bewilderment as she added the evidence together. He was flinging any food he could get his hands on into the duffle. Leena creased her brow in concern, "Bit?" she asked uncertainly as he shuffled past her, slinging the food-laden duffle over his shoulder. "Bit?" she said wuth a bit more confidence and strength. She was surprised and hurt to see that Bit was paying her no heed. Leena didn't know quite what to think of it all. He was usually so laid-back and animated, and now he was so shut-off, separate. It frightened She hurried to catch up with him as he rushed down the dark hall. "Bit? What the hell are you doing?" There was still no response. This fusterated Leena to no end; he was making her feel foolish. Picking up her pace to a quick jog, she cut him off and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Bit Cloud! What the hell do you think you are doing?"  
  
Bit's eyes dull, empty eyes suddenly melted as he seemed to regain his hold on his personality, although, his response was anything but Bit-like. Bit's temper was running high and his patience growing thin. He was confused and didn't really know what he was doing. He gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing angrily. "Leena, get out of the way." He said in a dangerously low voice.  
  
Leena scowled, her grip tightening, although it was some-what difficult, he was much taller than her. "Bit, don't think for one damn niuet that I'm going to let you go without an explanation!" She said in a serious undertone.  
  
"Look, I don't have time to fuck around right now Leena. I can't explain. . ."  
  
"Well, you better damn well try!" Leena said her voice rising with anger. "You should know me better than anyone Bit that I'm not going to bow down like that."  
  
Bit just shook his head as if registering her as a lost cause and casually brushed past her, Leena's strong grip faltering at the look he had given her. As he rushed along, Leena hurried beside him reprimanding him and insulting him at the same time. "Bit you bastard! You are not leaving!" With a spurt of angry strength she latched on to Bit's duffle and yanked hard. This little movement made his stumble backwards. He looked at her, obviously astounded, but still quite angry at her interference. He knew that something had to have disturbed his get away plan.  
  
"Leena-" He started in a venomous spit, but Leena cut him off in a voice that surprised him and herself.  
  
"Look! Before you go on protesting, you should know this. If you're so intent on leaving, it would be a lot easier and a hell of a lot faster if you just go ahead and tell me what the hell is going on! You're starting to really freak me out." Leena eyed him with suspicious anexity, "This isn't you. . ." She said in quieter voice.  
  
Bit was surprised at her expression, it showed so much venurability, something he had never seen on her before. He licked his lips, looking around the dark as if searching for something to say. Finally he looked intensely at her face, his eyes were oddly clouded as if hiding an emotion he didn't want to see. "Look. I don't know what it is. It confuses me. All I know is that I'm a target for some plot and if I stay here you and everyone else will be in danger." He licked his lips again, breathing heavily, this was taking a lot of effort on his part. "You guys are the only family I've ever known. My mom was a pothead and was freaking depressed all the time with mood swings and a short temper. My dad was never home, and when he was it was like hell." He grabbed her shoulders in a desperate grip, as if bracing himself for the enormity of the statement he was about to express. "The team. . .but you especially, are my family now. Whoever is targeting me won't stop until they have me, and they'll do anything to get me. That includes using you or Brad or somebody as bait. . .I can't have that." Leena felt as if her insides had been scooped up throughout Bit's procliamation and now they returned, but it was as if they had been filled with ice in their absence. She supressed a shiver and looked into Bit's eyes, fearing what she would see there, but they were oddly closed off, shuttered. Leena saw a flicker of an unreadable, completely vexing expression that she could not discern, but it was gone as quickly as it had come. Bit released his painful grip on her shoulders and rubbed his eyes. Leena steeled her resolve, she wasn't about to help him open the door to his delirious, misguided freedom.  
  
"Bit, I have no idea what you talking about, but whatever it is, you don't have to face it alone!" She shouted. Bit she siged and turned away as if regarding her as a lost cause. This irritated her even more, and befor he could take another step, she grabed him roughly by the upper arms and turned him around to face her. "I can assure you Bit Cloud, you may think that you're a hero, someone who has to save the world all the time, shoulder all the troubles and worries of the planet, shield everyone from the realities of life, protect me." She conviently forgot to mention the others but didn't notice. Bit didn't either, everything was too surreal, too foreboding to actually be happening. Leena let out a quivering breath. "but I am perfectly capable of protecting ourselves. You don't have to play the protecter, Bit. You aren't Superman. So don't go acting like it and go frolicking off on a single crusade, and don't expect me to stay here waving my hankie and pining after you until you return, like some medieval romance novel." Her voice was tight, but it was firm and stated her obvious concern. She knew that her choice of words on her last statement were a bit questionable, but there was too much tension and unsaid thoughts in the air for either of them to take much notice of it.  
  
Bit sighed in almost exasperation. He knew Leena enough to know that now that she was involved, he wouldn't be able to shake her off. He licked his lips thinking and then looked at her with a thoughtful expression. "It's not only that, I have to go to find someone. . .or something. I don't know what it is or anything about it, but I do know that I have to go." He held up his hand as Leena opened her mouth in stubborn protest and went on. "I know you Leena. I'll never get rid of you. I had plans to just leave. Now, that you know and that you're involved, you'll never leave me alone." He closed his eyes and straitened and looked down at her. "In a way, I'm glad. I didn't want to face this alone, but I didn't want to go ask for help intentionally. You came to my rescue Leena." He smirked, Leena was relieved to see some of the Bit she knew returning from under that façade of protective concealment that he had worn for the past ten minets. "But, saying that, I cannot have you risk your life for me. Don't do it. That's all I ask. Let me go." He said in quiet forcefulness, the smirk dissolving from his face.  
  
Now Leena was royally pissed. "Bit! You said yourself that you'll never get rid of me! That's the truth! I'm not letting you leave! If you absolutely have to go let me come with you!" Leena was now crying, she didn't know why. Maybe it was out of pure rage and pain at Bit's incredialbly ignorant actions, she didn't quite know or care. Bit almost seemed horrified that she was crying. . .almost as if he felt guilty. Good, Leena thought, let him burn, let him feel like shit for doing this to me. As her thoughts wandered to this area, she also pondered on why not she shouldn't let him go, he was treating her like she was just a worthless piece of clutter, keeping him from doing what he wanted, but all the same she remembered what he had said earlier. "The team. . .but especially you. . ."  
  
"What the hell?" She cursed aloud. Bit looked bemused. Leena looked at him, her eyes blazing. "Why? What's your deal?" Bit didn't entirely know wht she was talking about but Leena just ranted on. "You go and spout all these sentiments and emotion, and then you close yourself off. What is that you don't want me to know Bit?" Leena was so confused by this point, that her brain literally seemed to sag under the weight of all the information. Bit looked at her with an expression that scared her. I was one mixed with regret, fury, confusion, and absolute venerability. Leena swallowed back her gasp of shock, not wanting Bit to know that she was just as scared as him. Bit suddenly sagged, his shuttered and strong demeanor melting, not able to withstand the power of what was taking place. He opened and closed his mouth with no words being emitted before he finally spoke. "Leena. . .I- I'm scared. I-I'm sorry. . ." He said in a hoarse whisper looking away trying to hide his tears. Leena's heart promptly melted. For as long as she had known him, she never thought she'd hear those two words from him. 'I'm scared', and the most frightening thing about it was that it was genuine. She swallowed back a sob. He anger towards Bit's dissipating.  
  
"Bit. . ." She said quietly, touching his arm. Bit turned towards her, his eyes shining with unshed tears, his expression unreadable and perplexing.  
**************  
This, as you probably read in the Author's notes, is a contest entry. I will still write of course, but I fear it'll be postponed for a moment longer. As you can blatantly see, this is **completely** unedited and unchecked. My first drafts consist of nothing but typing.I know, stupid, but I felt that I had to post these, just so that I could get them out and off my mind so I could start my little "revelation".  
  
The next is recently discovered from the confines of my hard drive. It is very old and once again, unedited.  
***********  
Heart of Zi  
  
{Author's Notes: Hey! I'm back again! Well, actually your probably asking yourselves, "Who the hell is this girl?" Well, if I was the least bit well known 'round here I was known as Stella the Warrior. I didn't like it so, now I'm Frostbite Panda! ^_^ I hope it doesn't throw people off.. Well, anyways, this story's been in development for quite some time, and I'm still trying to work out some fuzzy parts, but those don't come 'till later, so I thought, what the hell! I'll do it! Ha! So here it is, my second story under my new name, and hope to be many more soon! Read and enjoy! Oh yeah, review, of course..}  
  
Disclaimer: NO, I do not own this, all property that isn't mine belongs to the good folks of whatever power-hungry, colossal corporation the show's already copyrighted to. I'm just trying to offset the disappointment of the show's ending of making this pointless fan fiction. Hear that? So, don't sue me.  
  
**Summary: Van and Fiona continue on their search for the elusive Zoids' Eve. When Rudolph sends them a letter that a discovery of a strange cavern hidden in the remote areas of the Degan Plateau with mysterious ruins held within, Van and Fiona Set out for it, not knowing what awaited them.**  
  
Chapter One: Dreams and Tears  
  
~  
  
Fiona was standing in total darkness. It was swallowing her, engulfing her in a great void of blackness. There was no light, no anything. It was total oblivion. Her limbs felt numb. In fact, she couldn't tell that she had a body. It wasn't her physical body, but her soul, her spirit. She knew she was there, wherever it was. She was terrified, but she couldn't feel, couldn't think, that's what made her scared.  
  
She was lost.  
  
She kept running. Or she thought she was running, for she felt a breeze blowing in her face. So, she did have a body. Then the most extraordinary thing happened. She suddenly burst into light. That's all it was. Light, bright, glaring and harsh. She shaded her eyes with her now visible arm. After she got used to the light she looked down at her body, she touched it all over to see that it was real. She breathed a deep sigh of immense relief, she was here, she wasn't just a spirit.  
  
Just as she took a step the glaring light started to flow with colors, browns, greens, blues, flooding in swiftly and suddenly. And just as quickly as they had come they stopped and Fiona found herself standing on firm ground. Dirt, dust and rocks moved under the pressure of her feet. She was standing in the middle of an immensely broad canyon, with a sky of overcast and fierce flashes of lightning crackling through the rain purged clouds.  
*********  
  
Yeah, so. . .I'm sorry to have to put you through this torture, but I find it necessary to free myself of these little unfinished works.  
  
Once again, dear reader, I am so terribly sorry to keep you waiting, but I must. I don't know how long it may take, but my life is in absolute chaos right now, and I wish to reorder it.  
  
A special thanks to;  
  
Kitia Matsuru  
  
A-Danny  
  
Ria Kinoshin (Yes, I **will** get to the contest, don't worry. That's my top priority right now.)  
  
Mi Chell (I know that I haven't edited the story. I was even supposed to co- author it. Believe me, I'm **still** kicking myself **very** hard in the ass for that. I got a printed version and it's absolutely **covered** with ink. Don't worry, I enjoyed it. If you still want, once I have my life straitened out again, maybe we can try again?)  
  
Rinon Torous  
  
And all the others, I love all of you guys, and in my hopefully short absence, I will miss you all!  
  
Cheers!  
  
EDIT: I apologize for the messed up template, for some reason, my computer is screwing up and messed it up. I went through and put TONS of space between lines at least five times, but it's still screwed. Sorry for the confusion. 


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